“On Wednesday, September 16, at 5:00 p.m. in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building, Councilmember Kenyan R. McDuffie (D – Ward 5), Chairperson of the Committee on the Judiciary, will hold a public hearing on rising violent crime in the District of Columbia. The hearing will also consider Bill 21-0261, the “Sale of Synthetic Drugs Amendment Act of 2015”.

To date, 110 homicides have been committed this year in the District, representing a 41 percent increase over last year. “These homicides and other violent crimes have devastated families and communities across the city,” said McDuffie. “The purpose of this hearing is to discuss the steps that the city is taking to prevent and respond to violent crime, to address the underlying causes, and to prioritize community responses to what we must view as a public health crisis.”

Councilmember McDuffie has been discussing holistic strategies to combat crime in the District with Mayor Muriel Bowser, Metropolitan Police Department Chief Cathy Lanier, representatives from federal partners, residents, and national and local organizations. As a result of those discussions and additional research and outreach by his office, McDuffie will be introducing a legislative package in September to offer community- and evidence-based solutions to violent crime.